


In His Wake

by b_ofdale_archive (b_ofdale)



Series: Aftermath [2]
Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: (I wrote half this fic when I hadn't though), (but sshhh), (yup you read that right), First Kiss, I know that's what y'all have been waiting for, I saw the movie this time, M/M, Post-Movie(s), this is still in a 'Gaston never treated LeFou like shit' universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 07:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10328717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_ofdale/pseuds/b_ofdale_archive
Summary: Gaston said nothing. His head just seemed to sink deeper in the pillow. LeFou stood there for a moment, saying nothing, either. What else was there to say, anyway? Ask,“What about you, do you love me?”





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Update: I wrote[another fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11619987) about post-movie Gafou, which I believe is much better than this little series. It's my final interpretation, so I'd recommend you read that one instead! :) But enjoy this one if you wish to!**
> 
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> 
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> 
> Sequel to my first Gafou fic, but it can be read as a standalone. :)
> 
> Many thanks to [Iona](http://consideringhobbits.tumblr.com) for the editing!

LeFou sat on his bed, tapping his foot on the floor.

He could hardly believe he'd found Gaston alive. Barely so and unconscious, but breathing and still warm despite the cold that still remained around the castle.

It was the cold that had made LeFou lose hope, the more he'd progressed through the woods, now green and beautiful as they bathed in the morning's sunshine. He'd thought even if Gaston had somehow survived the fall, it was unlikely he'd made it through the night.

LeFou had thought it was useless, but he hadn't been able to stop walking, stop searching, carried by this little bit of hope he couldn't let go of.

His heart had broken yet again when he'd seen him. It'd been a different kind of heartbreak than seeing this man he loved and trusted turn into a beast. His breath had caught in his throat, and he'd run to him. He'd sobbed when he'd seen Gaston's chest rising and falling, heard his labored breath come out in regular exhales.

Tom and Stanley had followed him, keeping up a few meters behind, and when LeFou had called them they'd come and helped carry Gaston. LeFou had looked up to the castle above them one last time, and they'd hurried back to the village.

And now, a few days later, here they were. Gaston hadn't woken up yet, and LeFou didn't know how to feel, and what to think.

He was relieved, of course. He’d been afraid he’d lost his best friend, and whenever he was left with the thought of what could have been lost his eyes filled themselves with tears that he quickly wiped with his sleeve. 

But he was confused, and angry, too.

What Gaston had done, just to get what he wanted—it'd been wrong and scary. There was much of Gaston’s personality LeFou could take to a degree, which had never been crossed until now, but this?

Too far. Perhaps too far to be forgiven.

Gaston needed to realise, and accept it.

And LeFou, well—he couldn't bring himself not to try. He understood if Belle and the people of the castle were not willing to give Gaston a second chance. Perhaps he shouldn't, perhaps he should give up on him. 

But how could he? Gaston was his friend. They were _Le Duo_.

LeFou sighed as he put on his boots, getting ready for a long day. It would be easier said than done, but he’d find a way.

He’d make it work.

  


~•§•~

  
Gaston woke up a week after he’d been found, which filled LeFou with joy. The doctor had assured that he would, for Gaston had sometimes opened his eyes and muttered incoherent words before falling back into sleep’s arms, but it was still a relief.

Unable to stop himself, but not regretting it one bit, LeFou had taken Gaston’s hand and kissed it, grinning at the sight of those eyes he knew so well blinking at him. Gaston had smiled. Faintly, but he had, and that had made LeFou’s heart spin.

Gaston had hit his head badly, his arm was broken and so were several of his ribs; in consequence there was not much he could do for the time being. He only opened his mouth to complain, or ask to be left alone. That was also the only time he looked at people in the eye. 

He'd turn his head towards whoever was in the room with LeFou, and bark, "Leave. Me. Alone!"

LeFou knew better than to protest, so he left, too. If Gaston needed to be alone, so be it. LeFou was never far, anyway. After the past weeks' events, he was not going to leave him out of sight ever again; he never really had, but things were different, now.

And LeFou knew Gaston could feel it. It wasn't going to be easy.

Gaston had never lost. He'd always been respected, admired, and everything he did the village approved of. Things would never be the same, now. This, LeFou was sure Gaston knew.

"You tried so hard to be the hero, you turned into the villain," LeFou said someday, almost in a murmur, when Gaston tried, poorly so, to defend his actions.

Gaston hadn’t answered. Unable to turn on his side due to his injuries, he merely looked away, staring at the wall like he so often did nowadays. 

There was a long way to go, but LeFou was patient. He’d always been. With Gaston, he had to.

The doctor checked on Gaston once in awhile, and the rest of the time LeFou took care of him—not because he had to, but because he wanted to. It gave him the occasion to spend time with Gaston, make sure he was doing well and, sometimes, know what he was thinking. 

Gaston wasn't one to speak of his feelings, though there had been times over the years when he had; it’d always been to LeFou. He wasn't helpful when it was LeFou who spoke of his own, but at least Gaston listened, and patted LeFou’s shoulder when he was done. It was more than anyone else could claim they’d ever gotten from him.

Gaston never spoke of what had happened that night, but he asked about the village and its people. LeFou couldn't tell whether it was because of the fall or because of the consequences of the attack on the castle. Perhaps it was both. 

Another two weeks and Gaston could sit straight, walk a little, though he was still ordered to stay home and do as little exercise as possible. Surprisingly, Gaston wasn’t difficult; it was as though he didn’t wish to show himself anymore, or at least, not at the moment. LeFou thought it was for the better, too; the villagers weren’t happy about all the lies and the unnecessary cruelty.

LeFou wasn’t, either, but then, he’d taken part in those lies, just like the village had taken part in the cruelty, even though he’d felt terrible about it. He’d never thought standing up to his best friend would be so hard—hell, he hadn’t managed to until the very end. 

But now, he thought he could, if he ever had to again. He hoped he wouldn’t.

  


~•§•~

  
It was a quiet, sunny day in Villeneuve. They ate on the table by the window, like they often did lately, LeFou trying to cheer up Gaston with praise and retellings of the adventures they’d shared together. Gaston seemed pleased, and the left corner of his mouth was turned upwards. Like this, he looked a bit more like the Gaston LeFou had always known, but there was still something—Gaston’s thoughts didn’t seem to be in the room.

Afterwards Gaston went back to bed, and LeFou stood by the window with his hands on the crest rail of his chair, looking down to the streets, surprisingly calm at this time of the day. 

He believed Gaston had fallen asleep when his voice rose.

"So, you love me?" Gaston murmured. LeFou almost didn't hear him.

LeFou froze. He wished he could see Gaston's face. He wished he could disappear, too. 

LeFou had hoped Gaston wouldn’t remember he’d said it. He’d been hurt Gaston had left; that’s why he hadn't followed. A part of him still blamed himself for that, though he couldn't regret saving Mrs. Potts. Doing the right thing.

But LeFou didn't say any of that. 

"Did you only keep me around because of the praise I would always give you?" LeFou asked instead, trying to keep his voice even. He'd wanted to ask for a while, now. He _needed_ to ask.

That made Gaston roll on his back and look at him. He stared, and somehow LeFou managed to hold his eyes.

"We've been friends since we were children," he said. He sounded offended, and his brows were furrowed. "We've always been together."

 _"How could you think that?"_ Gaston didn't say it, but LeFou heard it just as well. It hit him then, that Gaston had no clue. He didn't realize how self-absorbed he was. He was so sure of his own worth he couldn't even imagine not believing the village agreed with every praise LeFou told him, not believing he deserved every word.

He could not understand why LeFou would worry about that.

LeFou didn't know what to make of it.

So he said, “Yes.” 

“Yes what?” It wasn't about making LeFou say it again. Gaston had just lost the thread of the conversation, like he often did—it was nothing LeFou wasn’t used to, but this time, it made him bite his bottom lip.

“Yes, I love you.”

“Since when?”

LeFou bit his bottom lip harder. Why must Gaston always have been so blind to his feelings? 

“Since always,” LeFou said. He felt vulnerable—though not in a bad way; if Gaston was mad about it, he’d already have let LeFou know, one way or another. He certainly wouldn't have let LeFou take care of him. “Since we were kids.”

Gaston said nothing. His head just seemed to sink deeper in the pillow. LeFou stood there for a moment, saying nothing, either. What else was there to say, anyway? Ask, _“What about you, do you love me?”_

Belle hadn't been love. As much as he hated the thought, she’d been a prey, the only girl Gaston had deemed worthy enough of him. That wasn’t love. That was wrong, and that wasn't what LeFou wanted.

LeFou had no idea what love looked like on Gaston. Maybe Gaston wasn't able to love anyone but himself. 

He turned on his heels, deciding it was better to leave and let Gaston rest. 

He didn’t hear the _“wait!”_ he’d been hoping for despite himself. 

Shaking his head, LeFou walked down the stairs, crossed the living room to the kitchen, and opened the back door. He simply stood under the threshold, breathing in the warm early evening air and enjoying the feeling of the last rays of sunshine on his face.

He took another deep breath, trying to keep his thoughts away from the man upstairs. 

LeFou gasped when a hand closed on his shoulder, and made him turn around. He was met with Gaston’s eyes, staring right into his own.

“Gaston, you must not—”

Gaston’s lips shut him off by pressing against his mouth. Before LeFou could stop himself, his own hands flew up to cup Gaston’s face.

LeFou had no clue what was happening, but God, that was fine with him. He grinned against Gaston’s lips, surprisingly soft, and kissed back with more will than he could ever have thought himself capable of.

Perhaps that was what getting what he’d always hoped for, even if it was only for this moment, did to him.

When they parted, Gaston’s face was unreadable. But there was that light their camaraderie had always provoked over the years, and something else, small and faint and unsure, and, without LeFou could explain it, giving him hope.

A long way to go, yes.

But, they’d make it work.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll... probably write a sequel... if you're up for it!
> 
> Even though I saw the movie this time (but I'd written half of it before seeing it), I still ignored some things and rolled with the first part of this series, in which Gaston did nothing of the 'using LeFou as a shield' thing and the like. That's why the whole series isn't and won't be very movie-accurate when it comes to the last third of the movie... but oh well, that's the point of fanfiction, isn't it? :p 
> 
> Let me know if you liked it, it'd mean the world! ♡  
> I'll write more, either a sequel or a prequel (something when they were teens? or maybe I'll write about their younger selves in an AU... wait and see!)
> 
> Find me on Tumblr [here](http://barduil.tumblr.com)! :)


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